Biomedical Science with Integrated Foundation Year

Biomedical science is the laboratory-based discipline that underpins modern medicine, providing the analytical tools that clinical teams depend on to investigate and diagnose disease. It encompasses a wide range of specialisms including microbiology, immunology, haematology, clinical biochemistry and histopathology, all of which involve the examination of biological samples to inform clinical decisions and patient care. The field has advanced rapidly in recent decades, with molecular techniques, automation and digital pathology transforming what biomedical scientists can detect and how quickly they can do so.

At the University of Plymouth, this four-year full-time programme includes an integrated foundation year that provides a supported entry route, building your scientific foundations before you progress into the main degree. You will also complete a sandwich year in professional placement and a work placement, giving you direct experience in a biomedical or healthcare setting as part of your degree. The programme covers the fundamental biology of bacteria, viruses, fungi, helminths and the human immune system, developing your understanding of how infectious agents cause disease and how the body defends itself.

You will study the methods used to detect and control microbial contamination and the therapeutic strategies developed to prevent and treat infection, building the scientific knowledge and laboratory skills that professional practice requires.

Graduates from biomedical science programmes work as biomedical scientists in NHS and private laboratories, in pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, in public health agencies and in research institutions. Registration with the Health and Care Professions Council is required to practise as a biomedical scientist, and a degree accredited by the Institute of Biomedical Science provides the academic foundation for that pathway. Many graduates go on to postgraduate study in biomedical science, clinical science, microbiology, immunology or pharmacology, and the degree also provides a strong foundation for those considering graduate entry to medicine or related health professions.